Brandon McCarthy to retire after 2018 season

Brandon McCarthy is calling it a career. The veteran starter announced he'll retire at the conclusion of the 2018 season.

McCarthy joined the Atlanta Braves in the offseason as a part of the trade that sent Matt Kemp back to the Los Angeles Dodgers. His debut season in Atlanta has been derailed by knee tendinitis, and while he'll try to get healthy enough to help the Braves down the stretch, the 35-year-old assured everyone that this will be his final campaign.

"I'm done after this," McCarthy told Mark Bowman of MLB.com. "This is it. The offseason is the rest of my life. If I was going to keep playing, a month and a half ago I would have had the surgery that cleans the (knee) and I'd be back next year just a little bit after Spring (Training)."

McCarthy was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2002. He also suited up for the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, and New York Yankees during his 13-year major league career. In 255 starts, McCarthy managed a record of 69-75 with a 4.20 ERA.